I want my readers and subscribers to have a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years. As my gift to you, I am posting my short story “Song of Life” starting today. I pray it blesses you all!
Song of Life Part 1 – Meet Sara Rebecca
In a faraway land long ago, a baby was born into a loving family. She was the youngest, the only girl. Her older brothers were disgusted; they could always use another brother to help with their chores in the vineyards of their father.
Her parents were delighted with her loveliness, beautiful eyes, and delicate features. They named her for their own mothers—Sara Rebecca. But her brothers quickly reduced her name to Sarabek and so she was known.
As Sarabek grew, she longed to be in the vineyards with her brothers, but her mother kept her at home, teaching her the ways of womanhood, honoring her father, and being the home keeper. Sarabek complained to her grandmother Mimi that she wanted to work in the vineyards too. Mimi said “Sara Rebecca, your brothers cannot work and keep you safe. When you are older then you’ll be able to do something in the vineyard. But for now, honor your father and mother and cheerfully learn what we women do.”
So Sarabek saw she would be happier by obeying and asked her grandmother to teach her the weaving she still did on her handloom. Her mother recognized her change of heart and encouraged her with praise as she learned home keeping tasks. Her father rewarded her too by sometimes taking her with him into the vineyards as he worked pruning the vines and tying them up. He cautioned her to always stay where she could see him. Even though their mountain valley was in the country, travelers came through a nearby pass on their way to the city.
Sarabek loved the vineyard—the smell of earth and growing things and the sun on her face. She began helping her mother in the kitchen garden to be outside. She grew brown as a berry in the sun each summer.
One day in winter as she worked with her grandmother, Sarabek looked into her grandmother’s eyes and saw tears. She asked why she was crying. Her grandmother said, “I have seen you will be the bride of a great man but I will not live to see it, for I am old my precious child.”
Sarabek threw down her small loom and embraced her grandmother. “Mimi I want you to be with me always!”
“I love you too Sara Rebecca but one day I will go to be with those I love who have gone before. And someday, when you are old, you will come and join us all and we will be together forever,” said her grandmother.
“But I will miss you Mimi!”
“Sara Rebecca each time you weave on a loom, just remember me and you will be able to wait to see me again.” Sarabek smiled at her grandmother and stopped crying. Her grandmother dried both their tears and they went back to weaving, happy to be together.
Next post: Part 2: Sarabek in the vineyard
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